Football season continues for Smithies, Knights

Published: November 13, 2000 12:00 AM

The regional final pairings for the 29th annual Ohio High School Athletic Association state football tournament were officially named on Sunday, and for the first time since Orrville and Waynedale in 1998, two area teams were among the regional final field.

The original 192 teams that began the 2000 football tournament have been trimmed to 48. Among those still alive in the title hunt are Smithville and West Holmes.

Smithville remained alive in the Div. V tournament with a 21-13 win over top-seeded Ashland Crestview, while West Holmes advanced in the Div. III tournament with its convincing 48-20 win over seventh-seeded and favored Canfield.

Fifth-seeded Smithville (11-1) will play for its first regional title since 1984 when it faces defending state champion and third-seeded Amanda-Clearcreek (9-3) Saturday in the Div. V, Region 19 title game at Mount Vernon Yellow Jacket Stadium.

Sixth-seeded West Holmes (11-1) is seeking its first regional title in the program's history and will play top-seeded Canton Central Catholic (11-1) Saturday in the Div. III, Region 11 championship game at Dover's Crater Stadium.

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Canton Central Catholic and Amanda-Clearcreek have combined for 16 playoff appearances and are always a postseason contender. The Smithies and Knights, who are perennial league powers, are two of the 96 teams in the tournament that took advantage of the OHSAA's expanded playoff format.

Last season, the OHSAA expanded its postseason field to the top eight teams in each of the 24 regions in its six-division tournament. The Knights and Smithies have cashed in on their chances.

"It's been a longer season, but I'm real happy they expanded the playoffs," said Smithville coach Keith Schrock, whose team is 5-4 overall in its five postseason appearances. "There were a lot of years where we had a pretty good team and finished 9-1. We missed the playoffs by fractions of a point some of those years.

"We've been so close so many times. It's good to see this team's taking advantage of its opportunity."

Both games begin at 7 p.m.

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Tuslaw, which was making its third straight playoff appearance, was eliminated from the Div. V tournament with its 28-21 loss to New Middletown Springfield Saturday.

The opportunity for the Smithies and the Knights is playing two of the early favorites to win their respective state titles.

Amanda-Clearcreek, which was ranked 12th in the final state AP poll, has won three in a row since a rare two-game losing streak and has outscored its first two playoff opponents by a combined 76-7 margin. Last week, the Aces rallied late to break away from a scoreless game and posted a 20-0 win over Johnstown Northridge.

The Aces are making their 10th playoff appearance and are 15-8 overall in the postseason.

"This just feels good for the kids," said Schrock, whose team extended its win streak to 10 by topping the Cougars Saturday. "We look at this week as a big challenge, but that's expected. When you go deeper into the playoffs, the teams get tougher each week and that's the way it should be. Who knows.

"The one thing I've said about this team is that it plays hard. Hopefully we can do that again and make some things happen."

The Knights have won nine straight and have been one of the biggest surprises in what many have called the toughest region in Div. III. West Holmes will be the underdog once again against Canton Central Catholic, a team that has won nine consecutive games since a loss to Div. I regional finalist Massillon Perry in Week 3.

The Knights have played the role well thus far, and West Holmes coach Bob Maltarich doesn't expect his team to react any different this week.

"I have said from the beginning of the year that this team is businesslike," said Maltarich, whose team's last loss came at the hands of Div. IV regional semifinalist Coshocton in Week 3. "These guys go into each game knowing what they have to do to get it done. It's not important whose on the other side of the ball or how important the game is. They just love to play and go out and do it.

"This week, we'll have to go out and play. These kids know about Central Catholic's tradition."

The Knights lost to Lima Bath in the 1992 regional finals, their only other regional berth.

Smithville established the school-record for wins in a single season with its victory over Crestview and senior fullback Gabe Middleton needs just 78 yards to eclipse the school's single-season rushing record of 1,629 yards.

The Knights will be looking to break the school record for wins against the Crusaders.